I think that's the "Swordquest" series you're talking about. If memory serves, the company tanked before the series could be completed. I don't think there was any money set aside for anyone to abscond with.

I looked it up. Atari wasn't giving away money with that series, they were giving away actual TREASURES. I'm talking shit made out of gold & platinum encrusted with real jewels.

They did give out the prizes for the first two games, but seem to have been too strapped for cash to make the promised ultimate prizes, a sword & crown valued at 25,000 each.

They exist and have been seen. They problem is that no one knows where the fuck they went and no one is sure if they are actually golden treasures (like the first two objects were) or were props and the real treasures were to be made later.

The most popular theory is, of course, the exec stole that shit.

Also this is some puzzle agent shit. We already have an incomprehensible plot, so the next step is some crazy gnomes.

Aw man.. I missed out on everything that was awesome about gaming: an urban-mythical game used by the CIA as MK Ultra AND a real-life treasure hunting game? I didn't get SHIT when I beat Gunstar Heroes or Alien Soldier on hard mode :(

An NES game called Treasure Master promised the same thing: at a certain date, MTV revealed a password that unlocked the final level. You had to beat the whole game and call a hotline to enter the contest. The prizes were pretty ordinary, though. No crowns and swords.

I can't find any record of anyone winning, though. The game wasn't very good in the first place.

Monty Python's Complete Waste of Time had a monetary award as well.

Vectorman also had a contest as well. A handful of cartridges were programmed to show a "You Win!" message upon finishing the game along with a phone number.

Yeah. Is this even legal? It's one thing to put random symbols into your show or game for the viewer or player to figure out, but to actually say it exists somewhere? I mean, in theory it would play out like It's a Mad Mad Mad (etc.) World, but in real life..